Harry Potter and the Changes
by Aeolin
Summary: Set after OOTP, Harry thinks things though, and decides to start making some changes in his life. HHr pairing, rating may go up with later chapters.Please review to help me decide if I want to continue this or not.
1. Moving On

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me I do not own Harry Potter, I would like to because I'd be very rich if I did.**

* * *

It was a normal summer afternoon; well normal for everyone else at least, this summer was different for Harry Potter on the other hand. So far this was the first summer in his entire life that he didn't have to suffer much abuse from his relatives that he was forced to live with for the summer.

It seemed that the Order's warning had made its mark on the Dursley's as they just basically ignored Harry completely this year, which was just fine with him.

Right now he was just sitting down in his room writing out his plans on a sheet of paper. It had now been two weeks since he had returned home from school, and he had had time to think about the decisions he had made, and had also taken some time to grieve the loss of his godfather Sirius Black.

At first he had blamed himself, but after receiving some letters from all of his friends, and a five hour phone conversation with Hermione, he had come to terms with the idea of the Department Of Mysteries tragedy not being entirely his fault.

So he decided to focus on what was important to get his mind off of his depression, he was going to make Voldemort pay.

To do this, he decided, he was going to have to formulate a plan. First order of business was that he was going to have to train, and he was going to have to train hard. He decided he'd better write Hermione a letter, so that she could suggest some books for him to get on DADA, and any other recommendations she could think of. As his thought turned to Hermione, he realized he wasn't sure what he wanted to do about his friends. He wanted to stop endangering them, but at the same time, he didn't want to push them away.

Earlier that day he'd come up with another part to the plan, he decided to swallow his pride and ask his uncle where he could get some good muggle fighting lessons this summer.

His uncle had handed him a newspaper that described some kung-fu lessons that were being taught not to far from the Dursley residence so he decided he'd go check it out later this week.

Next thing was to get Dumbledore to start including him on more, maybe try to get into the Order of the Phoenix. He wrote all that down in his planner so that he could get started on it soon.

He heard a knock on his door, then Dudley poked his head in the door, "Dinner's ready." He stated flatly and went downstairs. Harry contemplated a little on Dudley's obvious change, this year he seemed nicer, he decided to look into that later too.

* * *

After a decent dinner, he decided to call Hermione, for some reason he got really nervous as he dialed her number. _What are you so nervous about? _He chastised himself. _She's your best friend you've known her almost all your life._

The phone only rang once before he heard a voice on the other line,

"Hello?"

"Um, hi is Hermione there?", he asked nervously

"This is her."

"Hi Hermione, it's me Harry, how are you?"

"I'm alright, especially now that I'm talking to you.", she said the last part of that sentence so lightly he wasn't sure he had heard it.

"Well I might as well get to the point," he said getting to business so that he could contemplate his feelings for his best friend later on.

"are there any Defense Against the Dark Arts books that you would recommend my buying? Or any other books that would help me prepare myself for wizard warfare?"

"Oh, Harry" she said starting to sound really excited

"I'm glad that you're deciding to take your education more seriously, I'll look into some and send you all my recommendations as soon as I send Hedwig back, by the way" she said, the tone of her voice changing

"I talked it over with my family and with Dumbledore, and he said that him and the Order would put as many defensive shields as they possibly could around my house, and you can move in a month from now, that is if you want to."

"Yes! Of course I'll want to." He said now starting to cheer up more.

Then on some impulse that Harry didn't recognize he asked her something that neither of them expected him to ask.

"By the way Hermione, would you go on a date with me sometime? I mean you don't have to if…" he was cut off.

"Yes! I mean um yes I will, I've actually been hoping for the longest time you would ask me. I've missed you so much, I cant wait to see you again. Please write to me as often as possible and don't be afraid to call me more often, I'm sorry but I have to go help mom prepare dinner. You have a good night, maybe I'll call you tomorrow."

"I'd like that Hermione, good night to you too. I'll talk to you tomorrow then. Bye."

After they both hung up Harry realized how happy he was about Hermione agreeing to go on a date with him. He hadn't even felt this happy when he dated Cho.

* * *

When he got back upstairs there were two letters on his bed and Pig was sitting in Hedwig's cage.

After giving Pig a couple of owl snacks, he sat down to read his letters.

_Dear Harry,_

_Hello mate how are you? Hope things aren't too dreadful for you this year with the muggles, Dumbledore says he has something better lined up for you soon though, so hang in there mate. This summer I'm going to travel a little, first I'm going to visit the pyramids in Egypt, then I'm going to Italy for a week or two. Listen I know that things in the Department of Mysteries messed up really bad, but don't blame yourself, and don't you dare try to push me and Hermione away again this year. You have no idea how many times you made her cry last year cause of your anger. I think she has a thing for you Harry, I know that before I had a crush on her, but I've gotten over it. Please don't tell this to anyone but I've been writing back and forth with Luna for a while now, and I'm really starting to like her. But anyways I gotta go mate, I'll send you some pictures of the sites, for now take care of yourself, and stop beating yourself up about things you cant control. _

_Your best friend_

_Ronald Weasley_

_P.S. Fred and George asked me to tell you they have some business they would like to discuss with you soon, and they would like for you to write them back ASAP. _

Harry smiled after reading the letter, he was glad he wouldn't have to explain Hermione and him dating to Ron. Since it didn't seem Ron would be mad about it.

The next letter had a formal seal on it from Gringotts. After breaking the seal he started reading the letter.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_First we offer our deepest consolation on the passing of your uncle Sirius Black. And second is to state that this letter was sent to inform you that you are the main beneficiary on Sirius's will, so your presence will be required at Gringotts, tomorrow at five o'clock, Dumbledore is aware of this and will arrive to pick you up, and will escort you here personally. _

_Gringotts Wizarding Bank_

_Griphook _

Well that's it for the first chapter, please review, and this is my first story, so right now I'm open to suggestions. And as a forewarning I will not change the pairings, it's going to be H/Hr, and R/LL others to be announced.


	2. Knowing Yourself

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, so don't sue, not that I got anything anyway.**

**Chapter 2:** _**Knowing Yourself**_

* * *

After reading all his letters, Harry decided to go for a walk to check out the kung fu place that his uncle had mentioned.

"I'm going out I'll be back in an hour!", he shouted as he walked out the front door.

He walked slowly through Little Whinging till he left Privet Drive and ended up on Magnolia Drive; it took him about half an hour total to reach the place.

It was a small brick building with enormous glass windows, through witch he could see several students doing several different types of workouts, some facing off in combat with pads covering their bodies, some doing intricate dances, and another group practicing weapon movements.

He looked up and read the sign above the door Hung Kuen School of Shaolin Kungfu, _well,_ he thought, _here goes nothing._ He took a deep breath and walked into the school; upon walking in he noticed that the building was much larger inside than it appeared to be on the outside.

First thing he noticed was another room off to his right, where there were several mats set up and lots of students were in there rolling on the ground and doing flips, and all other kinds of acrobatics.

He could tell they were all students because they each wore the same uniform, they were all white uniforms, baggy pants, no sleeves, frog buttons up the front, and a caricature of a man in a defensive posture on the back, they looked like they were made of silk.

"Ahem" Harry jumped and turned towards the sound drawing his wand as he did so, fortunately none of the students noticed because they were caught up with their training.

The man who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere just raised his eyebrows upon seeing Harry's wand.

He was a relatively short middle aged man maybe an inch or two shorter than Harry, he looked Asian and had long hair tied back into an elegant ponytail that went down to the middle of his back.

The man was dressed in the same kind of uniform except his was all black with a powder blue sash across his waist. Pretending to ignore the wand the man continued what he was saying.

"Hello, are you here just as an observer, or are you actually here to take lessons?" the man had a very kind and soothing quality to his voice, that helped put Harry at ease.

"I'm just here to look for today, but I think I would like to take lessons here sir."

"No need for formalities young man, my name is Akashi Saotome, and you are?"

"Harry Potter, um how much would lessons cost me here?"

The man's eyes looked like they flickered upwards to look at his scar, but this happened so quickly Harry wasn't sure whether he had imagined it or not.

"Well we offer some of the most advanced training you can get in London, so normally this kind of class would be quite spendy, but seeing as I have enough money, and I just train so that I can spread the greatness of martial arts, it will only cost five pounds a month."

"So what all do you train here?" asked Harry, still looking around.

"Well, as you can tell a large part of it is fighting, and defending yourself, part of it is weapons, and weapons defense, and tumbling so that you can react to falls or other forms of attack, But the main thing that you'll be trained in here, is knowing yourself."

Harry was confused about what Akashi meant with saying this; but didn't let on.

"Well then, I guess I'll return tomorrow so that we can start." Said Harry, who realizing it was getting very dark out, decided to go back to Number 4.

* * *

After arriving home, Harry found a beautiful white owl sitting in his room, next to Hedwig in the cage. Upon seeing Harry, it raised its right foot into the air so that Harry could take the note off it.

After removing the note Harry fed both owls some owl treats and sat down to read the note. After unrolling it he recognized Hermione's neat and organized handwriting.

_Dear Harry, _

_How do you like my new owl? His name is Zeus, my mom and dad took me to Diagon Alley today and I just had to have him. On the bottom corner of this letter is what appears to be a tiny envelope, it's an invention I picked up today at Diagon Alley. You'll be able to open it and find several of the books I've decided could help you out in DADA, and Transfiguration. Tomorrow I'm going back to Diagon Alley so I will buy you a few books on curses then. I got an invitation earlier tonight to go to Gringotts to attend the reading of Sirius's will. So just remember you won't be on your own tomorrow. I'm with you every step of the way, wherever you go. Anyway it's getting really late, so I'd better go to bed; don't stay up too late after receiving this. I'll talk to you tomorrow little after five. Goodnight Harry._

_Love_

_Hermione_

Harry's heart was thumping rapidly after finishing the letter. He was really glad she'd be there tomorrow for the reading; just knowing that she would be there beside him gave him a boost of confidence.

Feeling a lot better about tomorrow, and satisfied with the progress he had made today, he laid down in his bed, relaxed his mind as much as possible, and slowly drifted off into a nice peaceful slumber.


End file.
